Introduction & Context:
Valhalla Coffee Shop, an artisanal café in the heart of Casablanca, Morocco, was known for its premium coffee blends and Nordic-inspired ambiance. Despite a loyal local customer base, the brand struggled to attract new foot traffic and drive online orders.
With Casablanca’s café culture becoming increasingly competitive, Valhalla needed a fresh, modern strategy to break through the noise and position itself as a must-visit coffee destination.
Key Challenge:
Social engagement was stagnant, and paid ads delivered high CPAs, making it difficult to profitably acquire new customers.
– Instagram engagement rate: 1.2% (industry average: 3.5%)
– Average monthly foot traffic: 1,200 customers
– Online orders per month: 85
– Cost-per-engagement on paid ads: $1.45
The brand needed an influencer-led strategy to spark local buzz, increase foot traffic, and drive online sales.
The Challenge (Pain Point & Problem Statement):
Valhalla’s main struggles included:
1. Low brand awareness & organic reach – Despite high-quality products, Valhalla lacked visibility among coffee lovers and foodies in Casablanca.
2. Ineffective paid ads – Traditional advertising on Meta and Google had high CPAs and low conversion rates, making acquisition costly.
3. Minimal user-generated content (UGC) – Customers weren’t sharing experiences online, limiting organic word-of-mouth marketing.
4. Underutilization of influencer marketing – No structured partnerships with local food bloggers or micro-influencers.
Without a localized and community-driven approach, the café was missing out on Casablanca’s growing coffee culture and tourism opportunities.
Category
Influencer / KOL Marketing
Clients
Valhalla Coffee Shop
Location
Casablanca, Morocco
Led & Executed by:
Mohamed Chourouki
The Strategy & Execution (Step-by-Step Breakdown of Actions Taken):
To position Valhalla Coffee Shop as Casablanca’s go-to coffee experience, we developed a three-phase Influencer & KOL marketing strategy:
Phase 1: Influencer Targeting & Strategic Partnerships
– Identified 15 local micro-influencers (5K-50K followers) in the food, travel, and lifestyle niches.
– Focused on influencers with high engagement rates (>5%) rather than vanity metrics.
– Structured collaborations:
– Free VIP coffee experiences in exchange for organic content.
– Affiliate partnership for online orders (10% commission on referrals).
– Giveaway campaign to generate UGC and viral reach.
Phase 2: Content Strategy & UGC Amplification
– Designed a “Coffee Culture Challenge” campaign, encouraging influencers & customers to share unique Valhalla experiences using a branded hashtag (#ValhallaBrew).
– Created engaging Reels & TikTok content showcasing:
– Behind-the-scenes coffee making
– Customer reactions to signature drinks
– Influencer-led “coffee tastings”
– Ran paid amplification on influencer content to boost reach while maintaining authenticity.
Phase 3: Conversion Optimization & Paid Retargeting
– Implemented a retargeting funnel using influencer content:
– Top of Funnel (TOF) – Influencer videos introducing Valhalla’s coffee experience.
– Middle of Funnel (MOF) – Customer testimonial Reels & UGC featuring unique menu items.
– Bottom of Funnel (BOF) – Retargeted engaged users with limited-time promo offers (e.g., “Buy 1 Get 1 Free”).
– Integrated WhatsApp click-to-message ads for easy reservation & online orders.
The Challenges & Roadblocks:
1. Influencer Drop-Offs: Some influencers didn’t generate engagement as expected. We pivoted by doubling down on those with high-performing content.
2. Meta Ad Rejections: Early campaign iterations had compliance issues due to giveaway wording. Adjustments were made to comply with ad policies.
3. Seasonality & Weather Impact: Sales dipped on hot days, so we introduced cold brew promotions & iced coffee campaigns.
The Results & Impact (Before vs. After Data Comparison):
Key Metrics Improvement in 90 Days:
– Instagram Engagement Rate: 1.2%
→ 4.8% (+320%)
– Foot Traffic (Monthly): 1,200 visitors
→ 2,700 visitors (+125%)
– Online Orders (Monthly): 85 orders
→ 210 orders (+147%)
– Cost-Per-Engagement (Ads): $1.45
→ $0.38 (-74%)
– Influencer-Driven Sales: N/A
→ $7,800 revenue (New ROI Channel)
– ROAS on Retargeting Ads: 0.9x
→ 2.7x (+200%)
What Worked Best?
– Authentic micro-influencer content outperformed polished ad creatives.
– Retargeting influencer viewers converted 3x better than standard Meta ads.
– WhatsApp integration led to 18% more inquiries and sales closures.
Key Takeaways & Lessons Learned:
1. Local micro-influencers drive high ROI – They generate more trust and engagement than generic paid ads.
2. UGC & storytelling content fuels virality – Short-form video (Reels/TikToks) boosted brand recall.
3. WhatsApp is a conversion powerhouse – Click-to-message ads improved direct sales.
4. Retargeting influencer audiences is essential – It converts warm leads into paying customers.
5. Seasonality impacts café sales – Tailored promotions (e.g., iced drinks) helped maintain revenue.
Conclusion & Final Thoughts:
By shifting Valhalla Coffee Shop’s marketing focus to influencer-led storytelling, we tripled social engagement, doubled foot traffic, and built a sustainable online sales channel.
This case study proves that authentic, community-driven marketing can outperform traditional ads—even in a saturated market like Casablanca’s café scene.
Moving forward, the same influencer strategy can be scaled with:
– More niche-focused influencer collaborations (e.g., travel & wellness bloggers)
– Expanding influencer partnerships beyond Casablanca to attract tourists
– Adding an affiliate marketing model for long-term influencer-driven revenue
Why This Matters for Your Business
If you’re looking to:
– Boost brand awareness & organic reach
– Reduce customer acquisition costs
– Leverage influencers & UGC for better ROI
Let’s chat about how we can replicate this success for your business!
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